Brashaun Smith-King

Brashaun Smith-King, Roger & Leona Fitzsimonds Boys & Girls Club

“My Club provides a safe place for me to be away from home. If I didn’t have the Clubs, I’d be hanging out on the streets during those times when I didn’t want to be home.”

The loss of his father at a young age, followed by a move to another state without family and friends, taught Brashaun about perseverance and independence. He balances school, extracurricular activities and Club activities with his friendly and motivated attitude. Brashaun is consistently kind to his peers and a true leader in the classroom. He is quick to stand up for injustice and calm when confronted with adversity. He offers assistance without being asked and expects nothing in return.

Brashaun has a cognitive disability that affects how he processes new information. Because he has to work a little more carefully, he has an additional team of people supporting him after school to complement his Club family. He is a regular presence at the Club, playing basketball and other team sports, cooking and selling food for his business class and participating in lots of other programming areas. The Club provides a place for him to participate in something positive to keep his mind off what happened with his dad. Brashaun is active in multiple Special Olympics sports, including track, basketball and bowling.

He has hopes of being in the NBA, but understands this career choice is not guaranteed. Brashaun’s other plan is to study mechanics as he aspires to own a repair shop in the future. He tries to keep himself engaged in multiple activities to avoid heading down the wrong path. He surrounds himself with the right people who will help him through his life journey of becoming a successful leader in the years to come.

“Boys & Girls Clubs played a major role in keeping me in line with my goals.”